Pure Valduggery Goodness
by heroicunicorn99
Summary: A collection of awesomely amazing Valduggery one-shots, preferences, imagines, drabbles, etc, etc. What trouble will Skulduggery Pleasant and Valkyrie Cain get into now? Please read and review! I love praise but I am totally cool with constructive criticism. Thanks!
1. Muffins

Val is 20ish

Valduggery Status - still flirting, nothing official

"Uuuuuuggh." Valkyrie reached longingly for the muffins in the top cupboard of Skullduggery's apartment. For some reason, when he finally decided to get food for her visits, he put it on the highest damn shelf.  
Skulduggery glanced at Valkyrie.  
"Would you like some help there?  
Valkyrie glared at him. "What do you mean?"  
He sighed. "Do you need me to get it for you?"  
"I can get my own muffin!"  
Skulduggery chuckled as he looked back down to his paper.  
A few moments later, Valkyrie was on a chair reaching for the cabinet. She wistfully remembered being an Elemental when she would have been able to get her muffin from the ground using air magic. However, her new magic was no help now.  
When she tugged the cabinet handle, it refused to open. Valkyrie was confused for a moment. Then she glanced over at Skulduggery.  
Skulduggery was still looking at the paper, uncharacteristically still. He didn't have a face, but if he did, she knew it would be smirking.  
Glaring at his back, she stomped over to a chair at the table and pulled out her phone. Valkyrie absolutely refused to admit defeat. She knew why he was holding the door shut.  
Unfortunately, her stomach had other ideas. A couple of minutes later, it started rumbling. Skulduggery glanced up at her, but she continued to glare at her phone. If he had a face, his grin would have widened even more.  
Finally, Valkyrie couldn't stand it. She walked back over to her chair and tried pulling the cabinet open. She had no qualms about breaking the cabinet, but she didn't want to damage her muffins. Therefore, she couldn't use her magic to blast open the door.  
Valkyrie tried smashing the cabinet which got her a glare from Skulduggery, but it would not budge.  
She sighed in defeat.  
"Skulduggery?"  
"Yes dear?"  
"Can you help me?"  
"Magic words."  
"Let me have my damn muffin."  
He chuckled. "Alright, alright."  
The cabinet door opened, and the bag of muffins floated down to Valkyrie's waiting arms. Sticking her tongue out at Skulduggery, she began her feast.


	2. Let You Win

Valduggery 2 (Skulduggery is human, idk how, use your imagination), his body is like 23ish?  
Val is 70ish (obv still hasn't aged), body is 20ish  
Valduggery Staus - Married

Skullduggery's hand shot out, grabbing Valkyrie's wrist as she attempted to knock him down.  
The pair was a flurry of movement as they sparred. Skulduggery snapped his fingers and a ball of fire flew past Valkyrie's ear. She reached out and snagged his gloved hand. She pulled him down onto the mat.  
Valkyrie grinned and kissed him.  
"Still getting used to things, dear?"  
Skulduggery smiled back, sitting up a bit. "I let you win."  
She smiled smugly. "Yeah, right."  
Valkyrie pushed him back onto the mat and kissed him again.


	3. One Last Call

Valduggery 3 - One Last Call Shortly after Val moves to America

Two dead vampires lay at her feet. The gun whose bullet tore through her is now lying on the ground, some twenty feet away. Her shirt is drenched in blood moving hurts her. She killed the vampires, but at what price?  
Despite her injuries, she pulls out her phone.  
She puts in the numbers.  
One.  
Last.  
Time.  
She's guessing she has five, maybe ten minutes at most. She knows there's no way to save her, even with magic. That's why she needs to make this phone call.  
"Hello?" The rich, velvety voice becomes her one link to reality.  
"Hey," glaring pain makes her stiffen.  
"Val, what's going on? You haven't called in ages!" The chuckle on the other end sounds convincing, but she knows him well enough that it was a bit forced.  
"I just wanted to talk." She feels a cough coming on, and mutes the phone so her hacking doesn't sound like she's dying.  
"What's going on?" He repeats. Maybe he already suspects something's happening. It's getting harder for her to control her breathing.  
"There's a letter, in my nightstand, for my parents. Can you give it to them?"  
"Val-"  
"Also, I-" She coughs again. "I have to go away for a little while. Can you watch Xena for me? Please?"  
The pain breaks her focus. She misses his answer. She is silent for a while, and doesn't hear his question.  
"Val?" He asks, worry seeping into his tone.  
"I'm fine," she says, "just thinking."  
"About what?"  
Silence. She pauses for only a few seconds, but it feels to her like an eternity.  
"What would you say to somebody you cared very, very much about when you knew you only had so long left?"  
"Valkyrie-" he starts to say something, but she cuts him off.  
"Thank you, Skulduggery. Thank you so much for helping me, for saving my life, for teaching me, for being my friend." She doesn't bother trying to conceal her hacking cough this time. Tears leak through her tightly shut eyes.  
"Where are you and what happened?" The fear in his tone brings her back. This is what she was trying to avoid.  
"It's too late," she says. "There's nothing that can be done."  
"Where. Are. You?"  
"No." She lets the tears fall freely now. "I love you Skulduggery. Until the end."  
The other end is silent. He doesn't know what to do.  
"I love you too. Until the end." He finally says.  
A muffled sob breaks through her lips.  
"It will be alright," he says. He himself is choking back tears, but he can be strong for her now. "You'll be okay. I-"  
He stops..  
Her parents. She called him and not her parents.  
"I love you, okay? You were the best partner I've had, even if you were insufferable at times. You were pretty amazing."  
She's smiling a little now. She had hoped that maybe, after she had finally forgiven herself, she could go back. Go back and meet her sister, make more memories with her family, do the stuff she missed out on with Alice.  
Alice.  
"Tell Alice I love her," coughing, "And my parents."  
"Of course." He can't say much more now. How many times had he thought she would die, only for her to come out of it safe? No no no no this couldn't be real. Not at all.  
It's not fair to him, she thinks, to remember me like this.  
"At my funeral-"  
"No." He will not believe this no, no he will not. "Wear the black suit with the red stitching, and the hat with the blue band."  
"Valkyrie-"  
"And make sure Alice stays safe, okay? Only teach her magic if absolutely necessary, and even then keep it limited. Watch my family, please. Keep them safe, okay? Don't get them involved like me."  
"Okay." His voice is shaky, and her face is drenched in sweat and tears.  
She can feel herself fading.  
"Tell Tanith I said hi."  
"I will."  
More silence.  
"I love you." She says finally. The alley surrounding her is losing color, and it spins around. Her eyes roll up into her head.  
"I love you too."  
He tells her how much he loves her for the next five minutes.  
His voice is the last voice she will ever hear. 


	4. 2 am Lockdown - Part One

Takes place a little while after Resurrection (in original book universe)

Thunder rumbled loudly, and the wind seemed to shake Gordon Edgely's old house like an earthquake. A clap of thunder and a flash of lighting illuminated the woods and valleys around the mansion. It also woke her up.

Valkyrie Cain shot up from bed. She was instantly alert. Years of training had made her a light sleeper.

She sighed when she realized it was only a thunderstorm. Valkyrie was surprised she hadn't woken up earlier, but a scratching at her bedroom door interrupted her train of thought.

She stood up to let her dog, Xena in. The German shepherd might have looked fierce, but she was terrified of thunderstorms. She crawled into Valkyrie's arms and made quiet little whimpering noises.

"Oh you big baby," she said, stroking her ears. "You know, for a big dog you can be quite the scaredy cat."

Xena just made more whimpering noises, so Valkyrie let her sleep next to her. Twenty minutes late there was a snoring Xena lying on the bed, and a wide awake Valkyrie.

Turning over, though careful not to disturb the dog, she checked the time on her phone. She winced at the bright light. 1:48 a.m. Deciding sleep was long gone, she began checking her phone for messages. She had a couple from Skulduggery that he had sent right before midnight, and a few missed calls from him as well.

 _Just checking in._

 _Got some interesting intel._

 _Please report in morning, urgent._

 _Valkyrie Cain answer your goddamned phone._

 _I swear if you don't answer in ten minutes I'll mess up your seat position in the Bentley._

 _If you die tonight its not my fault._

Strange. He never texted this much at one time. He must be pissed. Although to be honest, he never texted much anyways. She suspected it had to do with the lack of finger tips.

"Ah well, he's probably overreacting," she muttered softly. Checking to make sure the German shepherd was still sleeping soundly, she carefully rollled out of bed.

"I'll call him soon," she thought, "Might as well go downstairs to stay quiet."

Valkyrie crept down the stairs quietly. She decided she was hungry as well so she grabbed some bread and put it in the toaster. A little nervous, she tugged out her phone to call Skullduggery.

Suddenly the large grandfather clock in the hallway chimed two. It startled her, as she was used to relative silence of her house. She turned around and froze.

There was a figure in her kitchen door way.

A skeleton in a suit strode in. He stopped when he saw her.

"Skulduggery?" Valkyrie was confused.

"What are you doing awake in your kitchen?" He asked, his velvety voice filling up the room. "It's 2 am."

It took her a moment to get over the shock and finally responded, "What are _you_ doing in _my_ kitchen? At 2 am?"

" _I_ asked first."

"It's _my_ house!"

He sighed. "Fine," he said, adjusting his tie, "I got some... _Interesting_ news. I came to check in. Didn't you get my messages?"

Valkyrie frowned. "What news?"

He shook his finger at her. "No no, now you. What are _you_ doing awake at this hour?"

"Making toast," she said lamely, pulling jam out of the cupboard. "The dog woke me up. But what could be so _urgent_ for the great Detective Pleasant to break into my house? At _2 in the morning?_ " She repeated. Valkyrie was more than a little concerned that he had been able to get in so easily. "And how did you get in without tripping the alarms, or waking Xena, or wait- how long _have_ you been here?"

Skulduggery settled himself on one of the barstools surrounding her kitchen island. He placed his hat on the counter, and stretched his skeletal joints. He seemed to be in no hurry to share.

"Well?" Valkyrie asked impatiently. She sat down across from him and shoved toast in her mouth. "Spill."

"Well, there have been whispers-"

"Of Abyssinia?" She asked excitedly. They had been searching for her for months. Valkyrie was certainly ready for the search to be done with by now.

"No, and don't interrupt me," he chided. She rolled her eyes but stayed quiet as he continued. "There have been whispers that the anti-sanctuary has begun to target specific people that ah, oppose them."

She nodded. "I see." She said. He continued to stare at her as if prompting a better reaction from her. She sighed. "Fine. I _don't_ see."

"I heard that they were sending a team of deadly assassins after you. Tonight." He let that sink in for a moment before continuing. "Now normally I wouldn't be too concerned. I should hope you would be able to defend yourself easily, but this is a special team who would have no trouble killing you in your sleep. It includes many top names that have managed to elude me for the past five years. I doubt you've heard of them. They call themselves Children of the Shadows, and they have been responsible for multiple collapsing governments. Not only are they powerful, but they're smart too."

Valkyrie was scowling, and was very annoyed. It was way too early in the morning to be worrying about assassins. She told Skulduggery this, but was met with an unwavering glare.

"Valkyrie Cain, some people want to _kill_ you."

"So?"

"Extremely powerful people."

"Uh huh."

"Kill you. In your sleep."

"So you've said. They're going to have to take a number, unfortunately. They aren't the first ones."

If he had a face, Skulduggery would have been scowling intensely.

Valkie groaned. He was really serious. These people must have been pretty bad if he was actually worried. "So you're here to watch my house, make sure nothing happens, right?"

"Correct."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

Skulduggery threw his hands up exasperated. He seemed unnecessarily annoyed at her and her lack of a proper attitude. No, she realized. He was scared. He was scared _for_ her, and frustrated she wasn't taking him seriously.

"You weren't answering your phone. Besides," He tilted his head to the side, and spoke quieter now. "It could have been too late."

Valkyrie smiled. It was touching how concerned for her he was. A little romantic too, almost like...

"Why are you smiling? I thought you could be dead!" Her smile only got bigger until she saw he was genuinely angry.

She did her best to wipe the smile off her face, but it was difficult.

"Sorry," She said, "I just realized something."

"What?"

"Nothing."

He huffed, but let it go.


	5. 2 am Lockdown - Part Two

**Hey guys, I'm back! So I know I kind of stopped updating for a week, and I feel super guilty. I forgot to let you know that I was going camping, and wouldn't have wifi (whoops), and then I forgot to upload the few things I _did_ have finished, so double whoops. I had a ton of fun, and I got a bunch of new story ideas! Anyhoo, I have about four half written stories that I'm bouncing back and forth between writing, so those should be uploaded too within a few days. Sorry again for the wait, but here is part two! I think it might have 3-4 parts total, but I'm not completely sure yet. Enjoy!**

"So you're really worried, huh?" Valkyrie was inspecting her nails as the skeleton had begun the process of locking up the house.

"Yes. These people don't fool around like most of the idiots we deal with."

"Idiots? I don't really remeber our job being that easy."

"Oh Scapegrace, the Grotesquery, Dusk, Springheeled Jack, Eliza Scorn, the list goes on."

"So now you're saying Dusk and Eliza are idiots? I thought they were pretty clever."

"True, but compared to the Children of the Shadows, they're about as dangerous as a kitten."

There was a long silence before Valkyrie responded. "Huh."

"Witty as ever," muttered Skulduggery.

Ignoring him, she asked "What's our plan? If they're so dangerous, how can I be safe? I mean really, is it that smart to have both of us together? I assume they want both of us dead."

Skulduggery straightened up, and pleased with his work, turned back to her. "I have certain sigils carved into places, I'm activating old safeguards, and we are locked into this impressively large house. The two of us are a good team, so I think we're about as safe as it'll get."

"What about Cleavers?"

"Nope."

"Backup sorcerors?"

"Nope."

"Anything else besides some sigils and the two of us?"

"Nope."

"Does anyone else even know we're here?"

"No, I couldn't risk that we knew about the attack going to the wrong ears."

Valkyrie flopped into a chair. "We're doomed!" She moaned.

"Complaining gets us nowhere dear Valkyrie. Come help me with these couches." He said cheerily. He was moving the giant couches over to the doors to block anybody from going in or out of the house.

"Y'know, doors are for people with no imagination. If the Children of Shadows are as dangerous and clever as you've said..."

"Already ahead of you. The sigils I've carved on all the windows should prevent them from breaking or opening."

Valkyrie sat back down on her sofa with a groan. "So now what? We just wait?"

"Yep."

"For how long?"

"Until the Children of the Shadows come."

"Why?"

"We're drawing them out of hiding."

Valkyrie threw her feet up onto the couch and laid down. "So we're bait?"

"I don't like that term. It makes us sound like carrots in a bag."

Valkyrie rolled her eyes.

Xena padded down the stairs, sniffing cautiously. The thunder had died down now, and all the commotion had woken her up. Her ears went back when she saw the "intruder", but calmed down when she realized who it was.

Skulduggery gave her a distasteful glance and moved out of her path. That only seemed to encourage her, and she began nosing his pockets.

He stiffened up, and Valkyrie chuckled.

"What-is-it-doing?" He hissed. Valkyrie started laughing at his discomfort until she fell off of the couch. Xena sauntered over to help fallen Valkyrie who was still giggling.

Skulduggery indignantly brushed off his suit.

"She just wanted treats," she pointed out, "If you want to give her some, they're in a jar next to the sink." He continued to glare at her.

"To think I'll be stuck in here with that thing," he muttered. She stood up and yawned.

"I'm exhausted."

"I wonder why."

"It's not my fault somebody broke into my house!" She glared at him grumpily. "I can't believe I'll be stuck here all night with you."

"Oh cheer up," he said cheekily. "Maybe the assassins will come earlier than I suspect."

"Which is when?"

"When we least suspect it."

"You're insufferable."

"You're cranky."

"Fine." Valkyrie dragged herself out of the foyer and back into the kitchen with Xena on her heels. Barely sparing her dog a glance, she tossed a few treats down to Xena. She licked them up greedily and did her best to beg for more.

"I'm going back to sleep," Valkyrie announced, back in the foyer now where Skulduggery was sitting. A crack of thunder seemed to accentuate her statement as she turned to head back up the stairs.

"Why?"

She blinked at him. "Because I am exhausted." Xena started whining. The thunder was scaring her again.

"Fine," He grumbled. "Just leave me here alone to wait for the assassins."

Valkyrie turned to glare at him. "What do you want me to do, sleep on the couch?" Skulduggery continued to stare at her, saying nothing.

She sighed. "I'll be right back," she trudged up the stairs to her room. Xena of course following her.

"I call dibs on the green couch!" She called down.


	6. Fell For It

**Not my best work, but I found a prompt I liked, so...  
**  
After Resurrection, assuming Ghastly didn't die

"You're staring again." Said Ghastly. I whipped my head around back to where he was relaxing on the waiting room couch.  
I had been watching Valkyrie argue with the receptionist. We needed to interrogate the CEO for our case, but the lady was insisting he was too 'busy'.  
"I am not!" I hissed indignantly.  
"Pleasant. You're practically drooling." So maybe her hair did look nice today, and she was even prettier when she argued. That didn't mean anything. Besides, skeletons can't drool.  
"No, I'm not, Bespoke. Shut up, you're crazy!"  
Ghastly sighed dramatically. "I suppose you're right. I mean, what would someone even see in her?"  
What did he say? I felt a flame rise in me. "What? Valkyrie is amazing! Funny, beautiful, smart-"  
Ghastly just sat there smugly as I fell silent. A little nudge of realization poked through my head, but I shoved it away.  
Ghastly started snickering.  
"I can't believe I fell for that."  
"Fell for what?" Valkyrie asked, walking over. The harried receptionist was on the phone now with a resigned expression on her face. We would be able to see the CEO after all.  
"Fell for what?" She repeated, confused. Then she saw Ghastly's face. "Oh jeez, what is it this time?"  
"Nothing, nothing," I muttered, standing up. Ghastly was still grinning. I glared at him, but he only smirked more. "I didn't fall for anything," I said, straightening my tie.

"Sure, sure." She said. "Absolutely no one."  
I froze.  
She gave me her signature smirk and sashayed over to the elevator.  
"Coming?" She asked, still grinning. God, I loved her grin. "The appointment is in five!"  
Ghastly stood up and followed me still snickering.  
"You fell for something alright."


	7. Ferris Wheel

**Val is fifteen and kinda childish in this one, so no romance. Just non-romantic fluff.**

The skeleton glared at the young woman sitting across from him. One might think it hard for a skeleton to glare, but Skulduggery Pleasant defied nearly every expectation of him.

He was an absolute expert in glaring.

"This is _so_ much fun!" She squealed. They were sitting in a Ferris wheel seat, and it was swaying.

"For _you_ maybe." Skulduggery grumbled. His gloved hands gripped the rails tightly. "Maybe you should stop rocking it now."

Valkyrie stared at him incredulously. She had insisted they go on together to look for their prime suspect in a case. Why she was at a fair was beyond either of them, but they were looking nonetheless.

"Skulduggery, you can _fly_! We'll be fine no matter what."

He continued to glare.

Her grin widened.

"You're scared of falling, are you?" There was a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"I-am-not!" He hissed in his velvet voice.

"Are too."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"I'm not scared."

"Yes, yes you are."

"No, I'm not."

"Fine." She said smugly. She would enjoy this.

She shifted sideways and leaned back to the right.

Back and forth.

Faster and faster.

The seat was rocking back and forth as the wheel brought them up to the highest point.

"Stop it!" He finally commanded. "Do you know how dangerous that is?"

"Hmm. Dangerous enough that we could-" She paused, leaning in. "Fall?"

Valkyrie watched closely as he stiffened, and she started snickering.

"You are scared, aren't you?"

"I'm not scared." He repeated through gritted teeth, still stiff. "Like you said, _I_ can fly. You, on the other hand, not so much."

Valkyrie made a little _hmph_ noise but stopped rocking.

"Come on," she said, back on track. "Let's catch some bad guys."

Skulduggery smiled to himself.


	8. Sleeping In

**So sorry I haven't updated in a while, I've been super busy, but I have gotten a _ton_ of new ideas. I really liked writing this one (it's a tad long, but totally worth it!), and I think it might be my favorite that I've written so far. I've liked it so much I think I'm going to write other stories in this universe, so if a stories from this point on says "Married Universe", then they're married. Also, Ghastly is alive in this universe. I have still not come to terms with his death, and I am still in denial. So... Hope you enjoy!**

 **Skulduggery is human.**

I rolled over in bed and sat up when I felt a weight next to me.

I smiled. My husband had come home. He'd had a late case with Ghastly, and he must have been absolutely exhausted. He hadn't even bothered changing out of his impeccable suit. His wavy, sand-colored hair was messy and flopped over his closed eyes. That was probably a good thing because I had trouble focusing when I looked at his eyes. They were mostly green, but with swirls of blue, and flecks of gold inside. They looked like miniature geodes.

How late had he come in last night? I myself had gone to bed by midnight but hadn't fallen asleep until two. Now it was almost one, and he slept like a log.

My phone buzzed. A reminder from China about the meeting we were forced to attend.

I sighed.

I did the math in my head. The meeting was at two. We'd need to leave by one thirty, one forty-five at the latest. Ideally, we would be there by one fifty, one fifty-five was pushing it.

But we couldn't leave until Skulduggery woke up.

I leaned over and kissed him. He didn't move, but his breathing changed and he was uncharacteristically still. I checked his pulse, and it was quicker than usual.

I grinned as I pulled my hair back. My husband was never a morning person.

"Come on," I said, still grinning. "I know you're awake."

He squeezed his eyes shut. "No I'm not," He mumbled, pulling the covers over his head.

"We have a meeting."

"No we don't."

"It's mandatory."

"Since when did you care about mandatory?" His velvet voice was still heavy with sleep, and it made me want to curl right back under the covers with him. His soft voice almost convinced me.

Instead, I stood up and walked to his side of the bed. I kissed him again.

"Wake up," I insisted. I tried to pull the comforter out of his hands, but his fingers gripped it tightly. I stopped for a moment to inspect them. I remembered when he was still a skeleton, remembered the exact color of his bleached white bones. Now he had skin and flesh and nails. There were some new gashes. Blood was crusted around fresh cuts on the knuckles.

"What did you do to your hand?" I asked with concerned.

"Nothing."

I didn't say anything. He would fill the silence.

Skulduggery sighed, the sound muffled. "Punched a couple people."

I kissed his hand. "Be more careful next time. Please?"

"I suppose, dear."

I kissed his head still covered by blankets.

"We should sleep in. Together. We can miss the meeting," his velvety voice promised. I liked that he'd said 'we'. We'd been married for years, but sometimes it made this feel more real.

"We can't sleep in every day."

"My dear Valkyrie," He said, finally sitting up to stretch. "I've missed four hundred years of sleeping in. I think we can get away with it a couple times."

I grinned and hugged him tightly. He was taller than I was, so I buried my face into his chest. He pulled me backwards back onto the bed and smirked as I lay on top of him, laughing in shock.

Skulduggery stroked my hair. His hands were calloused, but they felt good and warm against my back and head. I couldn't look at his face. Any resolve I had to leave would crumble if I looked at him.

"China will kill us," I mumbled into his chest. "She'll be pissed and won't stop calling us until we come."

"We could lie," he mused, a smile in his voice. I won't look at his face. No, no I won't.

Too late.

He cupped my chin in his hands and kissed me. I was startled for a moment when I look into his eyes. The swirls of blue and flecks of gold change with the seasons, and as spring is coming, the gold part almost glows. The right side of his face had wrinkle lines from the pillow, and his cheeks were a nice, healthy pink. His face glows when he smiles, and he's smiling broadly now.

He's absolutely undeniably handsome.

And he's all mine.

"Valkyrie?"

"Hm?" I was fingering his tie. He had loosened it but had not taken it off when he came to bed. His shirt was wrinkled as well. There were little splatters of blood on the white linen, and I hoped it wasn't his blood.

"Did you hear me? I said we could lie. Maybe say that one of us has the flu or something."

I rolled over next to him, my eyes still on his face. "China will never buy it."

"Hmmm." He pursed his lips as he thought (a habit of his), and I had to resist the urge to kiss him again.

I reached my hand up and brushed away the hair on his forehead. There was another scrape there like he had fallen hard and had scraped it across some cement. I raised my eyebrows.

"How'd you get this one?"

He frowned, distracted. "Oh. Just a dagger."

"No, on your forehead?"

"Just a scrape."

"And the dagger? I thought I said to be careful!"

"I was! It nicked me on the arm."

When he was a skeleton, he was nearly indestructible. Or so he believed. Ever since he became human, he's been forgetful of little things, like the fact that daggers can actually stab him, or that getting slammed into the ground will hurt you, or that punches leave bruises. Ghastly's clothes helped, but they could only do so much.

"Not careful enough."

"I was shoved against the wall. It's only a scrape. As for the dagger, it was a clean cut, and the blade wasn't poisoned."

He saw my concern as I rolled up his sleeve to see a white bandage. I couldn't see any blood soaking through, but it could be infected.

Skulduggery laughed at my worry. "It has already been cleaned, and I dressed it last night. I seem to remember a certain young woman who got into a lot of fights. I have practice bandaging things." He was smirking. "Stop worrying, love. I'm fine, really."

I tried to glare at him, but he leaned in and kissed me again. It was nearly impossible to stay mad at him for long.

"I love you," I finally murmured softly.

"As I love you," Skulduggery murmured back. "You know, you're really pretty when you're mad." He smirked and I couldn't help but smile.

He squeezed me closer and pulled the cover over us. Despite it being spring, the morning was quite chilly.

"But the meeting," I tried. The meeting was important, and definitely mandatory.

"I'll text China that we're sick, and then we can go back to sleep." I finally gave in to the temptation and snuggled closer to his warm body. I wrapped my arms around his waist and started to unbutton his shirt.

He picked up his phone and typed in the message, hitting send. He placed it back on the nightstand and kissed me again. Skulduggery looked down at my hands and raised his eyebrows.

I grinned. "If we miss the meeting, you miss your shirt. That's the deal."

Skulduggery laughed. "Fair enough." He lifted his arms so I could take it off all the way. I glared at the new bruises I saw. Big, black and blue splotches that were scattered on his torso.

I carefully watched his face as I poked one. He bit his lip, his reaction to pain.

Giving him a pointed look, I slowly and gently wrapped my arms back around his chest. He rested his chin on my head, and his strong arms enveloped me.

As soon as I had gotten comfortable under Skulduggery's arms, his phone rang.

"Don't answer it," he murmured. "It's definitely China."

"But-"

"No buts, we have committed to sleeping in. Remember, Mrs. Pleasant?"

I chuckled, and he squeezed me tighter. His phone rang a second time, and then a third. At that point, he turned it off.

"What time did you get home last night?" I asked, curious.

"Six or seven, maybe. The sun was rising by the time I got back."

"Where did you have to go?"

"A little town in the middle of nowhere. Took us ages to get there, and when we finally did, none of the people there would tell us what was going on. Horribly annoying, and then once we actually knew what we were dealing with, we couldn't figure out what to do with it."

I gasped in mock shock. "The Great Detective Pleasant didn't know what to do?"

He glared at me. "We figured it out soon enough." I just chuckled as I ran my fingers through his hair. He smiled at me, and kissed my forehead.

After ten minutes of silence, China must have realized that he didn't plan on answering his phone any time soon. We lay there in a comfortable, calm silence for a while.

Checking the clock on the wall, I saw that it was one fifty-three.

"She'll be pissed," I repeated.

"Oh, absolutely furious I'm sure."

Just then, my phone rang.

I looked into his eyes pleadingly. He sighed. I was lost in his eyes for a moment before he answered.

"Go ahead. Answer it."

"Valkyrie!" China's voice sounded pleasant enough.

I coughed convincingly. Skulduggery had said I was sick.

"China."

"Oh stop it. How stupid do you think I am?"

Another cough. "Sorry?"

"Sick my ass. I'm calling bull. You two had better be on your way to the sanctuary. The meeting is in ten minutes!"

"Oh right! The meeting!" I coughed, and plugged my nose. "What was that for again?"

China made a growling noise. "It was for the defense of the sanctuaries across the globe! Part of the defensive part is the arbiter corp! Everybody who is important will be there. Except for you two."

"Oh yeah. Well, I don't know what Skulduggery told you, but we're sick. Very sick, very contagious." I sneezed for good measure. "We can't come in."

"Oh come on! You've been using the same excuse for 24 years."

"Excuse? What do you mean excuse?" I could see Skulduggery trying to contain his laughter. I stuck my tongue out at him.

"You know what- Never mind. I expect you here in ten."

"But we're sick!"

"No, you're not." Skulduggery definitely could hear both sides of the conversation. "Let me speak to him."

"Who?"

"Skulduggery!"

"Can't."

"Why not?"

"He's-". I looked at him frantically. Skulduggery just shrugged. "In the bathroom. Throwing up."

China sighed. "You're not coming in no matter what, are you." It wasn't a question.

I tried my best not to smile. "Like I said, we're very sick."

"You've been married for how long now?"

"Forty-eight years I think?" Skulduggery nodded with a sly smile.

"Fine. This one time. You had better enjoy this morning together," I blushed at her tone. Skulduggery noticed and started snickering. I swatted him, but that only made it worse.

"Can I talk to him now?"

"Sure."

I handed Skulduggery the phone.

Composing himself, he coughed. "Who is this?"

"You know who."

"Oh, China, it's you. I'm sick. We're sick, and very contagious. We should probably go back to sleep."

"I'm not done-"

"Bye China." He hung up.

I shook my head as he grinned boyishly. Skulduggery yawned, and dropped his head back onto the pillow.

"I'm exhausted," he said. His eyes drooped and he let out a deep breath.

I shook my head. "I bet." He looked so peaceful. I sat up and stretched my arms over my head.

"I'll get up and make breakfast. Well, I guess it's more like lunch or dinner but-"

"Don't leave me!" He said. His hands grabbed my wrists and tugged me gently back down to the bed.

"We're sleeping in. Together," he insisted.

"Alright," I said. Skulduggery was cute when he was tired. He kissed my nose and I snuggled closer.

"'Night Valkyrie."

"Good night, Skulduggery."

 **I hope you liked it! I will post another part to 2 am Lockdown soon, I'm almost done with part 3 and have ideas for part four. Thanks again for reading!**


	9. 2 am Lockdown - Part Three

**Dun dun duh! I've finished part three! Hooray! I hope you guys like it, and I've decided to definitely make a part four.**

"Did you hear that?"  
"Valkyrie, it's just the wind."  
"Well, it sounded like someone was there."  
"Go back to sleep.  
"What time is it?"  
"Time for you to get a watch."  
She leaned over and checked her phone. "Why thank you, Skulduggery, for telling me that it's four thirty in the morning."  
"You're most welcome."  
Valkyrie sat up and rubbed her eyes. Xena padded over softly, and she started to pet her.  
"I'm hungry again."  
"Then get some food from the kitchen."  
"But-"  
"There are no assassins in the kitchen."  
Valkyrie was silent, and he sighed. She was giving him the look.  
"I'll check for you." She grinned as he stood up.  
"Thank you Skulduggery!" She called as he walked away.  
"You're not welcome!" He yelled back. "You know-"  
He was silenced.  
"Skulduggery?"  
The whole house was silent save for the pattering of the rain.  
She sat up. Was he tricking her? Didn't he know how serious this was? He had sounded serious when he told her about them.  
Assassins.  
So Valkyrie was right. He would never hear the end of this.  
That was, assuming they got out alive. So much for safety precautions. If Valkyrie couldn't find the assassins, they were screwed.  
Standing up, Valkyrie gave Xena the command to make her stay silent and go to the safe room. She had had one installed in America, so she installed one in Gordon's mansion too. Xena padded away, quietly now.  
She knew the assassins were here. Which meant they knew she knew. Dammit.  
Valkyrie had no weapons except for her training and magic. Her magic stick was leaning against the front door which was past the kitchen, and Skulduggery had taken his gun to humor her.  
No weapons.  
Dammit.  
They could be anywhere. Valkyrie knew the house like the back of her hand and began thinking of places they could hide.  
The closet? No, too obvious.  
Under the table? No. God, what were they, six?  
Dammit, she thought. They were in trouble. Where the hell could they be hiding?  
Should she call China? No, she'd never pick up. Omen was just a kid. It suddenly hit her that she had lost all connections in the sorcerer world. Everyone was either missing or dead.  
That was certainly depressing.  
Valkyrie missed Cassandra. She missed Finbar. She missed Tanith and Ghastly. She missed all of them so much. Ghastly's death had hit Tanith the hardest, and Valkyrie hadn't seen her in ages. If only she could call her, talk to her. Maybe she would even be able to help. But how?  
Then she realized it. They weren't hiding someplace, they were just out of the line of sight.  
Too late, she looked up.  
Her vision went black, and Valkyrie fell to the floor.

"Oh good, you're awake," A velvet voice said. "Certainly took you long enough."  
Valkyrie opened her eyes and sat up coughing. There was a nasty taste in her mouth, probably from whatever knocked her out.  
"The ceilings," she said. "They're on the ceilings."  
If Skulduggery could have rolled his eyes, he would have.  
"Which means?"  
"They have somebody like Tanith who can go on the walls."  
"Exactly."  
"But-" She stopped, not really sure she wanted to know the answer to her question. "But I thought Tanith was one of a kind?"  
Skulduggery shrugged, noncommittally. He too, did not want to think about it.  
"Doesn't matter," he said. "We're kind of stuck here."  
"Ah, lovely." Valkyrie began to observe their surroundings. Both her hands and Skulduggery's were cuffed. The walls were painted black, and the door was a shiny silver. She began to notice various splotches of blood splattered in odd places. Coughing again, she said, "And where exactly, may I ask, is here?"  
A silvery voice answered her. "So kind of you to ask, my dear."  
The silver door changed to semi-transparent, revealing a long hallway with similar steel doors and a woman dressed all in red. She wore bright red lipstick, a red dress, a red purse, and red stilettos. In her manicured hand (Painted red, of course,) was a phone with a sparkly red case. Her fingers glinted in the fluorescent lights as she tapped out a rhythm on the phone. She was humming a little tune, one Valkyrie recognized as a French nursery rhyme.  
"Who are you, and where are we?" Valkyrie asked. Her head still felt a little woozy, and she had to steady herself on the wall as she stood up. Skulduggery stayed where he was in the corner. He didn't seem interested at all in the woman in red. He acted like he'd already had the entire conversation.  
The woman smiled. Her teeth were filed down to a sharp point, looking more like the teeth of a piranha rather than a person. Valkyrie took an involuntary step back. With a chill, she realized her eyes were also a bright red.  
Every instinct was telling her to run, but there was nowhere to go.  
"My name is Bloody Mary." She said this with a winning smile and perky tone like she was a car salesman selling the latest model.  
Waving a hand in the air, she continued. "I'm a very busy lady, so I can't answer all of your questions. However, I can tell you that you're in our most top secret prison. Be honored, only the most special people get to come here!" She giggled a little, and her fire truck red hair bounced as she spoke. "You're not leaving until we sell you to the highest bidder! My oh my, we have people lined up out the door for possession of you. I must say, you have made plenty of people angry over the years, Mr. Pleasant, and I can't say it's much better for Ms. Cain here either! Best not to dwell on that, though."  
"How did we get here?"  
"Oh! My little sister, Bloody Raven. Just like me, only different color scheme!" She winked one horrible red eye. "She's going to watch you for the remainder of your stay. She'll be here soon." As if on cue, Bloody Mary looked over her shoulder to see a figure dressed all in black walking towards her. Their hair was as black as an oil slick, and their face was covered in a dark mask that seethed with shadows.  
Bloody Raven.  
"Ta ta!" Mary said with a quick wave as she walked away.  
The door turned back to steel. Valkyrie was lightheaded. She slid down the wall to a sitting position. It was just then when she realized how cold the cell was. She was only wearing a light t-shirt and flannel pants. The room must have been a couple degrees below freezing at least.  
Rubbing her arms, Valkyrie began to assess her situation as she had been taught. No visible escape routes, guards supposedly posted, and no magic. It wasn't exactly looking good for them.  
"I don't suppose you managed to call anyone else before you were caught?" Skulduggery asked, breaking her thoughts.  
"Hm? No. I had less than a minute before they grabbed me too."  
"Not even your parents?"  
"No." A feeling of regret washed over her. She deserved to die horribly, she thought, but her parents didn't deserve for her to leave again with no explanation. "I didn't even know who to call."  
Skulduggery sighed. "It wouldn't have mattered much anyways. The sigils would've prevented anyone from coming in."  
"Then how the hell did Bloody Raven get in?"  
He stared right into her eyes. "I think you know how."  
She shuddered. "Then how long was she there? Why didn't she make her move sooner? Why wait? Why-" Valkyrie started coughing again. The temperature had suddenly dropped even lower, and her lips were starting to turn blue alarmingly fast. Her breath steamed out and curled around her face like smoke.  
"You look cold."  
Her teeth were chattering. She started, "I'm not-"  
"Here," Skulduggery said, shrugging off his coat jacket. Their hands weren't chained together but only had a single cuff on one wrist with sigils etched on it. Valkyrie tried to shrug it off but he firmly led her arms through the sleeves. "Come on. I can see your breath. You must be freezing."  
She gave in and wrapped it tightly around herself. It smelled a bit like worn leather and campfire smoke. Valkyrie smiled a bit.  
He sat down a couple inches away from her on the wall and leaned his head back. He seemed weary.  
"What's the plan?"  
Skulduggery turned towards her. "What do you mean?" He asked.  
"How are we going to get out of this?"  
He was quiet, and barely murmured his 'plan'.  
"As soon as we're out, we hit as many people as possible. They mentioned bidding, so I bet someone is paying for our custody. They'll make it slow because they'll probably want revenge. Therefore, we'll escape then."  
Valkyrie sighed. Screwed. They were screwed.  
"I was right, you know," she said. "They were in the kitchen."  
Skulduggery turned and glared at her.  
"Maybe you should listen to me more," she said with a little smirk.  
He didn't say anything and kept staring straight ahead.  
"I'm really hungry."  
"We have bigger problems right now."  
"But I'm hungry. And cold. Still."  
He turned and wrapped his arm around me.  
"Better?" Skulduggery asked as she put her head on his shoulder.  
Valkyrie started to warm up a little bit, but her teeth were still chattering.  
"Better." She was silent, and focused in breathing in and out.  
"This sucks," she finally said.  
"Yes, yes it does."  
"But we'll get out, won't we?"  
"Of course! We always do, don't we?"  
Valkyrie smiled a bit. "Silly me. Until the end?"  
"Until the end."


	10. Interruptions

**Sorry it took so long to upload something. Hope you enjoy ;)**

 **Set after Resurrection, if Ghastly lived/Tanith never left.  
Valkyrie and Skul married/engaged/dating, you get to decide!**

"What is it, Bespoke?" Irritation filled his normally smooth and velvety tone.  
"Skulduggery!" Ghastly's tone starkly contrasted his. "I have big news."  
"What?" He hated being interrupted, and neither did Valkyrie. She was glaring at him impatiently.

"We have a lead!"

"A lead on what?"

"You know what I'm talking about. The main case? The looming threat that could destroy our world as we know it?"

"Fine. Yes, yes, Abyssinia, a lead, are we done now?"

"Don't you want to know what the lead is?"

Skulduggery sighed. Valkyrie rested her head on his shoulder in comfort and snuggled closer to him.

"Sure." His tone was less than enthusiastic.

"Well," He heard the creak of Ghastly sitting at his desk chair, "We know Nye is working for her."

Valkyrie could hear everything, and she raised her eyebrows. He gave her a look that said ' _quiet!'_ She frowned, but kissed him instead of saying anything.

"Yes." He was still annoyed, but the kiss had softened him up a bit. Skulduggery wasn't in quite so bad a mood now.

"We have a location." Valkyrie kissed him again.

"Okay." Another kiss.

"Guess where it is." Kiss.

"Where?" Yet another kiss, although this one was on his collarbone.

Ghastly said something else. A kiss on the other collarbone.

"Interesting." Valkyrie was smiling at him. Skulduggery couldn't focus on anything but her.

"Skulduggery?" Ghastly's tone had changed. Skulduggery didn't really care.

"Yes?" A kiss on the shoulder.

"You're distracted." A kiss on the forehead. She was covering him in kisses.

"Mhmm," he agreed. Valkyrie was so beautiful.

Ghastly started chuckling. Valkyrie looked at the phone confused.

"You go enjoy yourself, Skulduggery," Ghastly said. "And say hi to Val for me, too."


	11. Just a Nightmare

**Takes place in Married Universe.**

 **Skulduggery is** ** _not_** **human.**

 **Hope ya like it ;)**

Valkyrie rolled over in her sleep, jostling the many blankets and quilts she had wrapped herself in. I watched as she frowned, her lips pursed into a pout. I rolled off of the bed, cushioning my feet with air pockets, to give her more room.

Last night, she'd insisted it was freezing. She made me stay under the heavy layers of blankets and quilts all night with her. I might've complained, but truthfully, I enjoyed being close.

We were supposed to go interrogate the criminals they'd caught yesterday, but Valkyrie needed to wake up first. That could be problematic, I realized. She liked to sleep in.

I stood and walked over to her side of the bed. I crouched down. My hand brushed the dark hair out of her face. Valkyrie's face was peaceful, and void of any evidence that she'd spent the night wracked with nightmares. I had watched over her through every. Single. One.

It pained me that she had to go through that. It hurt even more that now I'd have to wake her. She was finally at rest.

I reached out my gloved hand and shook her shoulder gently.

"Valkyrie," I said softly. "Time to wake up." I hoped it had warmed up a bit more in the house. I remembered countless times back when I was alive where I woke to frigid mornings. Those were the hardest mornings to get out of bed.

"Valkyrie," I murmured again. "Time to get up."

I watched her eyelids flutter, but she squeezed her eyes right back shut.

I chuckled softly. "C'mon, we have to go."

"It's freezing, Skulduggery," came her mumbled response beneath the blankets. "I'm not getting up."

I sighed. "We have to go interrogate-"

"Noo," she moaned. "That's so boring! We can't even punch people anymore."

I was quiet.

"I'm not getting up," she insisted.

I sighed dramatically and sat down beside her on the bed.

"You know we have to go."

"But I love you."

"And I love you too. But you still have to get-"

"No."

I looked at her face peeking out from the covers. My hand reached out and brushed the stray hair out of her face again. Her perfect lips formed a frown, and her brow furrowed.

"Stay," she commanded.

Before I could say anything, Valkyrie's hands snaked out and pulled me onto the bed. I lay beside her as she curled up next to me. Her head burrowed into my shoulder, and her hands snuck around my waist.

"I love you," Valkyrie repeated.

"I love you too."

"Stay, relax. Sleep in with me. We can interrogate later."

I knew it would be a mistake to look at her face as she sat up a bit, but I did anyway. My wife was giving me puppy dog eyes.

And they worked.

"Fine," I said. Her face lit up with a smile, and she snuggled closer to me. I let out the tension I didn't know I had and let my arms wrap around her.

"Thank you," Valkyrie said. With a mischievous grin, she added, "It's still too cold to get out of bed."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah, it must be close to negative 30." She kissed me. "Not that you could tell." I just smiled as she kissed me again.

We lay in silence for a long time. Eventually, Valkyrie fell back to sleep. Her lips moved as she murmured words under her breath. I froze when I heard what she said.

"No! Please!" Her hands gripped the blankets tighter as her breath quickened.

"Not them! I can't choose!" A tear trailed drown her face. It landed on the pillow, forming a dark spot. I moved my hands up to her shoulders to see what was wrong.

"No no no!" She shouted. Her protests turned to sobs, and her body rocked against mine.

"Val-" I started. This was one of the worst ones I'd seen so far. Normally she just mumbled and rolled around. She would tell me about them later. I always got the sense she wasn't telling the entire dream, and that she dulled them down for me. The little night terrors she told me about never matched the haunted look in her eyes.

Now she was shaking. She was squeezing the blanket so tight her fingers turned white. Tears ran freely down her face.

"No!" She practically screamed.

I didn't usually try to wake her up unless the nightmare was really bad.

"No," she repeated, more of a murmur now.

"No- please don't!" Her voice rose again. She was downright terrified.

That was it; I couldn't stand it anymore. I shook her awake.

"Val! Valkyrie, come on. It's just a nightmare," I said. I picked her hand up and squeezed.

"No," she trailed off. Her face had a broken look to it, and I wanted more than anything to make her pain stop. I squeezed her hand again in hopes of waking her up.

Slowly, the shaking stopped and Valkyrie's eyes opened. They were rimmed with red from crying and were puffy. She breathed quick and shallow like she had just been sprinting.

"Valkyrie," I said. "It was just a nightmare, I promise."

I examined her face as she took some more shaky breaths.

She suddenly pulled herself close to me with a sob. Her hands squeezed my shirt, and tears soaked the fabric.

"Hey," I said softly, stroking her hair. "It's okay, I'm here. It was just a nightmare, I promise."

"Skulduggery," She cried. "Oh Skulduggery."

"I'm here. It's all going to be okay."

"It was so-" she coughed. "It was so, so real."

"But it's not, it's just a nightmare."

Her eyes glistened as she spoke. "I had to choose."

"Choose what, love?"

"Who-" She seemed to choke up. I kept stroking her hair as her lips trembled. Tears pooled in her eyes, and I pushed more of her hair back.

"Shhhh," I murmured. "Calm down."

"No Skulduggery," Valkyrie said. "I-I can't. I saw you. Saw you, my parents, Alice-baby Alice, and Tanith and Ghastly. And I had to choose."

A bad feeling settled in me. "Choose what?"

"Not what; who."

No. Oh no. This one of the worst ones for her. It's almost as bad as the Darquesse nightmares.

She continued. "I had to choose who to kill. They made me choose. My parents stood together, and then Ghastly and Tanith stood together. You and Alice were separate. They made me choose, Skulduggery."

I pulled her close. Her breaths shook with silent sobs.

"Only-" she choked up for a moment. "Only I didn't choose quick enough, and they, they chose for me."

"Oh Val-" I started, but she interrupted me.

"No, let me finish. They chose for me because I refused to choose. First, it was Tanith and Ghastly, together." I tried to pull her into an embrace, but she pushed me away.

"Then it was my parents. They screamed and screamed. It was horrible." Her face was despondent as she looked me in the eye. I reached out and touched her cheek. I would have done absolutely anything to make all of the nightmares stop.

"Then they- then they chose- then they chose Alice." Her shoulders shook in more silent sobs. "And lastly they killed you."

I was at a lost for words. If she wasn't crying, Valkyrie might've made a joke about it. Instead, we lay there silently as she shivered. She gripped my shirt, and I rubbed her back.

Slowly, Valkyrie breathed out.

"I lost everyone," she said. "I-I can't, can't even- Skulduggery, I lost everybody I cared about."

"No you didn't," I replied. "We're all still here. I'm still here. It was just a nightmare, I promise."

"I know, but it felt so real! I couldn't move, I couldn't stop them. I couldn't even cry out." I could feel her getting worked up again.

"Shhhh," I murmured again. "I've got you, I'm here." I pulled her closer to me.

"See?" I lifted her head up with one hand as I squeezed hers with the other. "I'm here, I'm real, and I'm not leaving you. You're stuck with me, Mrs. Pleasant. I'll always be here and I'm never leaving you. Ever."

Her lip trembled a bit as I held our hands with the wedding rings up.

"Together," I promised. "Until the end."

A thin smile appeared on her face.

"Until the end," she said.

"I love you," I told her.

"I love you too," Valkyrie whispered. her voice was hoarse from crying, and her breaths were shaky.

"Hey," I said softly, "It's okay now, alright?"

She kissed me. "Yeah." Tiredly, she rubbed her red eyes. "God, what time is it?"

"Doesn't matter. You're staying put. I'll go get you some food and-"

"I want to call Alice and Mom. Make sure they're okay."

I knew they were fine, but I also knew Valkyrie needed to confirm this. I nodded and stood up.


	12. Doug

**Is it short?** **Yes.** **Is it somewhat stupid?** **Yes.**

 **But is it funny?**

 **I think so.**

She was in the Bentley when she discovered it.

It was such a shock, she spit out the coffee she had been drinking.

Skulduggery's hand shot out. Using his magic, he had saved his beloved car from the spray of coffee from Valkyrie.

"You're extremely lucky I have quick reflexes," he growled. "That was close." Somehow he managed to keep driving and hold the coffee in the air. He guided them out the window and let them drop onto the highway they were speeding along.

"Valkyrie," he glared, "What do you have to say for yourself?"

"Oh. My God."

"Continue."

"Skulduggery, you'll never guess what I just figured out."

"No, I suppose not. But what you just-"

Valkyrie interrupted his lecture. "Do you remember when me and Tanith were complaining about how long it took to say your name?"

"Tanith and I."

"Shut up," she said with an eye roll. "But do you remember?"

"I seem to recall that particular bout of complaining. But I fail to see how-"

"And remember we were trying to come up with a nickname for you? And then the time we needed a mortal name for a passport and couldn't find a good one because Skulduggery is the exact opposite of normal?"

"Yes. But-"

Valkyrie grinned. "I've figured it out."

He continued to glare. Skulduggery would never admit it, but he was beginning to get nervous.

"I've figured it out!" She repeated. "Now, I suppose you could spell it a couple different ways, like u-g-g, or o-u-g, or just have the latter and add l-a-s onto it to be more specific, although I like the short version better."

"Valkyrie."

"Yes?"

"What is it?"

Valkyrie's grin widened, making her look like a Cheshire Cat.

"What is it?" He repeated.

"Doug!"

And then she burst into laughter.


	13. An Echo - Part One

**Hey guys! This will be a multi-part story for sure.**

 **(I know, two stories in one day. I'm trying to make up for my inactive periods. I will try and post more frequently.)**

 **Yes, Ghastly is alive. No, I have** ** _still_** **not come to terms with his death.**

 **Screw you Landy.**

Wow.

Her best friend. Her partner.

He was gone.

Valkyrie had just left the funeral, but it didn't feel real. She still felt mostly numb. How could he be gone? How did you kill a skeleton? It made no sense.

There was supposed to be a will reading, although there were apparently separate wills for various people; China, Ghastly, Valkyrie, etc. She felt a small sense of deja vu. The whole situation was very similar to her uncle's passing.

In spite of it all, she smiled wryly to herself; it would be just like Skulduggery to die mysteriously and to have his whole murder be a key to a mythical weapon. He'd been missing for a few days, and when Valkyrie had received the call, she still couldn't believe it.

A skeleton in an impeccable suit washed up on a beach. It scared a couple of beachgoers, but most just saw it as an elaborate prank. The sanctuary had investigated but could find no cause of death. The theory was that his time had just simply run out, and whatever soul/magic that was keeping him together was gone. It was a lame theory, but it was the only one that made sense.

Sitting in her car, she stared out at the pier. The will reading was in Haggard, and she'd come early to think. She didn't know whether she should go visit her parents. They knew he was dead, but they weren't sure what to do. Their daughter had just lost the most important person in her life. It also hurt them a bit, Valkyrie thought, that he had known so much more about her than they did. Valkyrie would never regret being close to Skulduggery, but she did regret not being so close to her parents. Maybe then they could've helped with all of her problems.

She had her meeting with the lawyer in half an hour, so she stood up and walked to her car. Starting the engine, she wondered what would entail. Would it be serious? Or, like Skulduggery, would it be full of sarcasm and wit? She hoped the latter. Valkyrie wanted to remember him in a good, easy way instead of formal and stiff.

After half an hour, she arrived at a dull, gray building. The sign at the front said "Watson & Brooks Lawyers". In a slanted font below, it read _Formality and Dignity is what we pride ourselves in._

She walked up the flight of stairs indicated by the receptionist and sat down in Mr. Brooks' office. It was neat and tidy, with filing cabinets, computers, and potted plants. The furniture was tastefully chosen and arranged, and Valkyrie couldn't find a single speck of dust.

She sat down in front of a plump old man sitting in a swivel chair. Though his skin might have sagged, his posture did not. He smiled stiffly as he picked up a crisp yellow envelope.

"Miss Cain?" He asked. His tone sounded bored.

Valkyrie just nodded. Next to where the envelope had been was a small, ornately carved box. It was about the size of a jam jar on its side. Was it for her?

"Mister Pleasant left you this letter and box." She snapped her head up.

"What?"

Mr Brooks sighed. He seemed weary and bored of the interaction already.

"Yes," he said, handing the envelope and box to her. "Just these. No money, no car, no house. Just this."

"Oh. Okay." She didn't really need or want any of those things. Her uncle had given her plenty. Valkyrie was just curious that she had been left _only_ a box. She had hoped that maybe he would have given her something sentimental, to remember him by. Maybe a tie, or even the Bentley. She couldn't really think of anyone else these things would go to except for Ghastly. That would make sense, and she was okay with that.

"The only instructions Mr. Pleasant left you is to open this box in private. The letter is a brief farewell."

"Okay." Valkyrie didn't really know how to react. A letter and a box? Maybe there were keys to the Bentley in the box, or maybe-

"That's it," Mr. Brooks said impatiently. He stood up and led her to the door. She stepped out of the room and the door was shut loudly. Slowly making her way down the stairs, she started her car.

She looked at the box. Valkyrie knew she should wait until she was at the mansion to open it. Reluctantly, she set it in her cup holder and began the drive home.

When she arrived, her dog Xena greeted her. She sat down on the couch and checked her phone. Numerous voicemails and texts from Ghastly and Tanith checking in on her. She ignored all of them.

The box was plain, with only a simple flower design on it. She decided to read the letter first. It read;

 _Dear Valkyrie,_

 _I'm so, so sorry I must leave you, but it can't be helped. My time just ran out. It's not anyone's fault, simply the magic. I've known for a while that it would happen, so I made sure to make good memories with you._

Valkyrie smiled as she remembered the various trips he had taken her on. He had made sure she saw the world. Skulduggery himself had seen much over his four-hundred years "alive", and he wanted to make sure she saw the sights she could.

 _I'll miss you, just as I hope you miss me._

More than you know, she thought.

 _Stay in Ireland, the sanctuary will need you now that I'm gone, and your parents and sister miss you. I won't be there to help you like before, but you'll still have Ghastly, Tanith, and China. They'll help you._

Valkyrie was shaking without realizing it. Even with the reassurance of her other friends, she felt so, so alone.

 _In the box is something that will help. Use it_ only _in emergencies. I mean it. It will only be triggered when you really need it, trust me. Until then, it will remain unlocked and cannot be broken open. Don't waste your time trying._

He knew her better than that. She would do everything in her power to open the damn thing.

 _You need to move on, from Darquesse, Devestation Day, everything. You can't fix it from agonizing over what you_ could _have done. You can learn from your mistakes, and do better. That's what I had to do. It's the only thing people like us_ can _do._

People like us, she thought.

 _But enough with all of that, I have a happier message for you._

 _You are smart, intelligent, confident, powerful, and beautiful. I_ will _miss you. Please keep in touch with your parents, and don't go away again. The world needs the Valkyrie Cain I knew._

 _Until the end,_

 _Skulduggery Pleasant_

 _P.S._

 _Be brave._

Valkyrie didn't know she was crying until a teardrop fell onto the paper. Hurriedly, she wiped her eyes and smoothed the paper out. She would definitely keep this paper safe, the box too. They were what she had of him, while the rest would just have to stay in her memories.

—

 _Three years later_

She was running.

Tanith Lowe was behind her, and Ghastly Bespoke was in the lead. Valkyrie could hear the vampires behind her.

"Faster!" Tanith shouted. "They're gaining!"

Valkyrie relayed the message.

"How the hell do we-" Ghastly stopped in his tracks, causing both Valkyrie and Tanith to stumble into him.

"Fuck," they swore in unison.

Standing in front of the trio was the lead vampire, fully changed. Its pale white skin glistened with slime, while its teeth were nearly a foot long and dripping with venom. This was the new strain of vampire virus they were supposed to destroy. They could change at will and were only vulnerable when they were in their human form.

This was very, very bad.

The trio took one glance at each other, and the message was clear:

Scatter.

They went three separate directions. This new strain was not very smart in its changed form, and was much more primal.

As Valkyrie sprinted away, she felt the box thump in her pocket. She touched it through the thick fabric as she ran; it calmed her. It reminded her of her duty and helped her focus. Would this be the emergency that could trigger it? Despite having three years, she had yet to find a way to open it.

Her feet thudded down endless dark corridors. Maybe it wasn't such a great idea to scatter. The underground facility was like a growing maze and had been abandoned before being completed. No one had a map or knew how to navigate it.

She slowed down to a light jog. Checking ahead and behind her, she saw no vampires. Valkyrie pulled out her phone and saw no reception. No way to contact anybody.

She decided to turn around and retrace her steps. Ten minutes later, she was sure she had passed the same corner three times. Valkyrie leaned against the wall. She didn't know what to do. Wait? Keep going in circles?

All was silent for a couple minutes.

And then she heard the growling.

Instantly she was alert. On her feet, she did a full 360 turn. Nothing in sight. She held her stick out and got ready to kick the next thing that moved.

Silence.

Her heart beat rapidly, and thumped in her chest. Valkyrie was terrified. No one would hear her screams, her friends could be dead, she couldn't leave the maze, and the vampires were after her.

Another growl.

She gripped her stick tighter. She held it so tight her knuckles turned white. Would this be it? She was terrified. She didn't move for the next few minutes of silence. Valkyrie only moved to look down at the box in her pocket.

It had started to vibrate, and she could feel the lid twisting itself off. Holding her stick in her arm, she dumped the contents out. Valkyrie wasn't sure if she should be terrified that the box was actually opening or glad that the box was finally opening.

All that came from the box was a pearly, white stone a little smaller than her fist. It rose up from a tiny pedestal, and was connected to the box.

Hesitantly, she touched. It started to glow, illuminating the space.

On the bright side, she couldn't see any vampires. Unfortunately, they could've been anywhere. She looked up, just in case, and was relieved to find the ceiling also empty.

Her attention turned back to the stone. It looked like a ginormous pearl, just a little bit smaller than her fist.

Valkyrie tapped it.

The stone shone so bright for a few moments she had to squint, but it soon faded to low luminance.

In the spot where the light had shown was a skeleton in a suit.

Skulduggery Pleasant.

Valkyrie nearly dropped the box with the precious stone. She started backing away until her foot touched the wall. Her heart was racing.

"N-no. You- You're dead. You're gone, you're-"

"An echo," he interrupted. Skulduggery's tone was filled with melancholy, and his head was tilted sadly to the side. "The box had an echo stone in it, that's what you're seeing now. I'm just an echo. The _real_ me is gone." The velvety voice was perfect; exactly as she remembered it.

Valkyrie didn't respond. Her own mind was racing, trying to fill the gaps and make sense of things. He looked so _real_. How could he be an echo?

"I'm just an echo," he repeated. "That's all that's left."

She was still silent.

"If you're seeing me, then this must be an emergency, and I'm here to help you. Unless," he mused, "You were clever enough to get it open on your own. In that case, I must reprimand you for disobeying my direct orders."

She hesitantly reached her fingers to touch him. Valkyrie almost started crying when her fingers went through him like he was air. A tear slowly ran down her face. She had completely forgotten about the vampires.

"Valkyrie," Skulduggery said; gently, but firmly. "What's going on? What's the danger."

"I-" She cleared her throat. "Vampires. The three of us, Tanith and Ghastly, we were being chased through this maze place," She said. "We split up. It's a new strain- extra dangerous, not that smart when changed but can change at will. They go purely on instinct, and even that predatoristic part doesn't go away when they are human. That's the only time they're vulnerable."

"I see," he said.

Skulduggery was silent. He seemed to be considering the situation.

"Skulduggery?" asked Valkyrie. "Have you seen anything like this?"

"No," he said slowly, "But I have heard of different, more dangerous strains of vampires."

"So what do we do? Salt water doesn't work."

Skulduggery nodded. "You find Tanith and Ghastly. Get out of here and regroup, and then do more research. Come back with a better solution. Repeat until it works."

Valkyrie tilted her head. This made sense, but only in theory.

"Okay, but how do I _get_ out? I don't exactly have a map, and I've been wandering around in circles."

"You didn't mark your path?" He asked, amusement in his tone.

"No," she said sharply. "I was a tad busy _escaping from the vampires_."

"Alright!" Skulduggery said, putting his hands up. "No need to get defensive."

"But how do I get out?" She asked again. "I heard vampire growling noises just a-"

"Look out!" He shouted. Valkyrie barely had enough time to dive out of the way of the vampire.

She came up from her roll to see the vampire crouched in front of her. It let out a feral snarl as it swiped at her. She stumbled backward to avoid its long claws.

Barring her stick, she stepped backward slowly.

"Skulduggery?" She called. Valkyrie's arms shook as she looked for the skeleton. The vampire only continued to advance.

"You better not have left me again," she muttered as she crouched down to shove the box back into her pocket.

First things first, she thought. Find Tanith and Ghastly. The Vampire must have come from somewhere, so maybe if she got it to retreat she could follow it back. It was either that or hope it left a trail she could follow after she killed it.

Easier said than done.

"Come and get it!" Valkyrie taunted, twirling her stick. "Nice and tasty blood. C'mere!" She took a step forward, and nearly fell as she stumbled backward.

The vampire lunged forward, and almost clawed her face off. She jabbed forward hard with her shock stick. It connected with a satisfying thud to the creature's shiny head.

It began to retreat a bit, not seeming quite as eager to fight.

"That's right," she said, taking a few more steps forward. The vampire mirrored her in reverse. "This hurts."

She rushed forward quickly and hit the vampire again. Hard.

Collapsing, the thing flopped to the floor with a loud _thwack!_

Valkyrie held her breath as it struggled to get up. Taking a step forward, she nudged it with her stick. It fell limp, and a bad smell rose up from it.

Plugging her nose, Valkyrie hit one last time to make sure it was really dead. The sound it made pulled on her heartstrings, but it was a lot easier to forget about that when you looked at the fangs on the thing.

Satisfied that it was dead, she began her search for markings on the walls.

Valkyrie tugged out the box. It was sealed. Just like it had been originally. Skulduggery's letter had specifically said it only opened in emergencies, maybe that's how it was triggered.

"Dammit, Skulduggery," she muttered as she resumed her search. The lump in her pocket reminded her of her responsibilities. Find Tanith and Ghastly, get out, research more, come back and fight until you get them. Seemed simple enough.

Looking up, she saw scratch marks on the ceiling. Using her phone as a light, she followed the path etched into the stone. In her right hand, Valkyrie held her weapon, ready to hit the next thing that moved. Her feet echoed softly in the tunnels, and it was nearly impossible to move silently without the tiniest sound being broadcasted.

Up ahead, she heard footsteps similar to hers. Valkyrie's pace quickened. It didn't sound like a vampire.

Rounding the corner was Tanith Lowe.


	14. Beat Up

**So, I had fun writing this one...**

 **I know. I'm a horrible person.**

 **But I hope you enjoy, and don't forget to review! ;)**

 **(Set after resurrection/midnight)**

I fumbled with my keys to turn the car off. The song on the radio stopped, and I was reminded of the throbbing in my head with the silence.

Slowly, I leaned over to open the door. My right arm hung limp on one side, and bruises spread across my torso. They both cried out in pain as I reached with my left arm.

I stopped and lay still. Catching a glimpse in the mirror, I saw two black eyes and a broken nose. Blood coated my face and shirt.

Gritting my teeth, I tried again to open my door. I managed to bear the pain, and stumble out. Red hot pain seared through my left ankle. I wondered how I managed to drive. My ears were ringing, and I had a headache. It was probably one of the worst headaches I'd ever had. The light from the sun was overwhelming, and I blinked multicolored spots away.

My bags would have to wait in the car. I was in no condition to carry them. I walked up to my front porch. That was when I noticed the car in my garage.

Fuck.

I couldn't explain this to him. Not now, not ever. Why I hadn't fought back. Why I let them hurt me, with their fists and words. And their crowbar. Why I only drew the line at magic.

If I couldn't explain it to him, I couldn't explain it to anybody. He was the only person who could possibly even begin to understand.

I was pretty sure I had medical supplies in the bathroom next to my bedroom. Probably from the last time this happened. But he'd never seen me like this, I'd made sure. Maybe I could avoid him.

I chuckled dryly as I unlocked my front door. Hiding from my best friend in my own house given to me by my uncle. What fun.

I noticed my knuckles were bloody, and my hand was shaking. A pain in my side distracted me, and my left hand brushed down to it. It came away with blood.

Holy shit.

That's a lot of blood.

Oh god, there was no hiding this. I couldn't waltz into my house like this and breeze away with an "I'm fine".

No, he would want to know who did this. He'd make them pay. For their sakes, I had to hide this.

I pushed open my door, leaving a bloody handprint. That would be hard to clean. My head began to hurt more, and I nearly fell.

"Valkyrie?" His velvet voice called. Normal, easy going. Relaxed, curious about my day. Not suspicious at all.

I didn't respond, only limped faster to the stairs leading to my bedroom.

"Valkyrie?" He asked again. I heard his footsteps echo down the hallway.

No no no no no-

"I was wondering if-What the hell happened?" The shock in his voice was evident.

I'd reached the top of the stairs and kept walking to my room. Tears stung my eyes. I was ready to sit down and cry. I couldn't do this now. No way.

"I can't talk now," I mumbled. My words were slurred. I was dizzy. I was ready to collapse.

"Val, what happened?" He repeated. "Who did this?"

He was walking towards the stairs, following me.

"It's nothing, Skulduggery. I just can't talk now," I repeated.

"No, it's not nothing! What happened? Where are you hurt?" He was jogging up the stairs now, but I'd reached my bedroom.

Stepping in, I shut and locked the door. I sunk to my knees up against it. Pain flooded through me, and my breathing quickened.

I heard him try to open the doorknob.

"Valkyrie! Open the door!"

"I'm taking care of... It. I can't talk now."

"Exactly, you physically can't. Open the door so I can help you."

"No, I-I'm fine."

The blood on my hands was mingled in sweat. I forced my self to stand, leaning against the door. Shuffling over to the bathroom, I pulled open my first aid cabinet.

Muttering "Gauze, gauze, gauze," I rifled through various bottles of pain meds. I set those aside for later. I would definitely need those.

At this point, my breaths came in short, shallow bursts.

"Valkyrie?" He was banging on the door again. "What the hell is happening?"

First was the knife wound. I sprinkled some antiseptic/healing powder in it and gingerly wrapped it over with the gauze. Already it was starting to numb. I started chewing my pain leaves, and I sat on the edge of the tub to look at my ankle.

It was twisted at the wrong angle, and I knew I'd have to soak it in my rocks to heal it.

It took me a moment to realize the banging had stopped. I heard a low, soft velvet voice.

"Who did it, Val?"

"I-" coughing, I turned the water on. "It doesn't matter."

"The hell it does! You could've died!"

I didn't contradict him.

"At least let me see the wound on your side. That could've damaged something important."

"I'm sure it's fine."

He was silent.

"Who did it?" He repeated.

"I don't know."

"Oh come on, you're a better detective than that. I bet you know the age range, height, and gender of your attackers. I bet you know some pretty good physical descriptions too. That's plenty to find the culprits."

Now I was silent.

I gritted my teeth as I stood up. Hobbling over to the bucket, I submerged my ankle and foot into the blue water.

"I didn't see much," he continued. "But I saw at least one black eye, probably your nose too? But definitely the eye, the ankle, and your side. Any other injury you want to share?"

Bad idea, I thought.

"Two black eyes, my nose is broken." I looked at my foot and ankle again. The swelling had started to go down, and it felt numb. My side felt better as well.

"Dislocated shoulder, I think. And almost definitely a concussion."

"Shit Val. Any part they didn't hurt?"

Again I was quiet.

"Will you at least tell me where it happened?"

"No."

"They can't just go around doing that to you. It's-"

"What?" I snapped. "Unethical? Rude? Kind of like turning into the world's most powerful psychopath and murdering all of their family friends in cold blood?"

"You can still fight back."

"Can I? The ones that fought back were slaughtered the quickest. I don't deserve to fight back anymore."

I squeezed my eyes shut. My stomach got uneasy whenever we fought. I had that clenched up feeling you have when your body needs to cry, but you won't let it. My throat burned a little, and my eyes watered.

"I killed, so, so, so many. Children, soldiers, normal citizens. If the worst I can get is to get beaten up every now and then, then I deserve it. And I'll take it. Willingly."

I heard him press up against the door, his low voice thick with anger.

"This has happened before?"

I cursed my self silently as I put cream on my bruises. Thank God for magical medication. It was probably more than what I deserved, but...

"Answer me. How many times?"

"Only a few."

"How many is a few?"

"This is the fourth time?" It came out as a question.

"Will you let me come in yet? At least help with your shoulder?"

"No. I need to be alone."

"I'm not leaving you alone. You need medical attention, and you can either get it from me or the sanctuary, but I'm not leaving you here."

"Why?"

I looked down at my shoulder and lifted my left arm over to it. I gritted my teeth. I pushed in.

"Fuck!"

Alarm filled his tone, "Val?"

"Ah," I coughed, and rubbed my shoulder. "Fucking shoulder. Shit that hurts." I grabbed more pain meds from my kit and downed them with a little cup of water.

Time for my nose and face.

Other than the nose and eyes, there wasn't much except for a few cuts and scrapes. My lip was split, yes, and there was some bruising, but nothing was broken. Other than my nose, of course.

I rubbed on the foul-smelling oil as gently as I could. It was supposed to help my nose and eyes. A couple of alcohol pads took care of the rest of the blood and cuts on my face. All that was left was my clothes.

My ankle was good enough to take out of the bucket. I toweled it dry, and put more oil on it. Limping back to my bed, I grabbed a set of comfy clothes to change into. My other pair was wrecked. Thankfully it wasn't one of Ghastly's sets.

When I was done, I went over to my side of the bedroom door.

I didn't feel quite ready to see him yet. I would try to talk, but no eye contact.

"Everything taken care of?" He asked as I sat down, leaning against the door for support.

"Yeah," I murmured, brushing the hair out of my eyes. I gazed up at the ceiling. "Earlier, you mentioned something you were wondering about. What was it?"

"We had a case."

"Ah. I'll have to take a rain check, I think."

"It's okay. I'm not going on it now."

"Why? You never back down from a case."

"I have more important things to do."

"Like what?"

He snorted. " I don't know Val, maybe keeping an eye on idiots who keep getting themselves injured?"

I didn't respond. I just picked at the hem of my shirt, thinking about all of my mistakes.

"What was the case on?" I finally asked. I grabbed a brush off of my nightstand and began to brush my hair.

"Just some strange disappearances. We thought it had something to do with werewolves."

"You could still go without me," I whispered guiltily. I felt the tug of the brush and realized that a clump of blood dried in my hair.

"I'll wait until you're back on your feet again. If it gets too bad, they'll send somebody else to do it." I heard him shift on the other side of the door. "Speaking of your feet, how's your ankle?"

Inspecting it, I poked and prodded a couple areas. It could probably be soaked more.

"I think it needs to be soaked more."

"Can you stand on it?"

I pushed off of the floor with my hands and uninjured foot.

"Ah!" I fell back against the door with a thump. My ankle was not ready to stand on yet. I heard a soft chuckle from the other side.

"I'll take that as a no?"

I scowled. "It's not funny."

"It is when you refuse you have it under control. And then you don't. Unlock the door and I can help you with your ankle. I'll check out your concussion too."

I considered for a moment. The damage was already done; he knew. I might at least get help.

"Fine," I muttered as I gritted my teeth.

I heard a faint chuckle from outside the door. "Can you unlock it, then?"

I turned the lock and heard a light click. I leaned against the door frame as Skulduggery opened the door. His dapper suit barely had a crinkle from sitting. He looked slightly bemused, although I knew well enough that he was worried.

I didn't even want to think about what I looked like to him.

He offered me his hand, and I took it. After helping me over to the chair, Skulduggery went into the bathroom. He came out with a pile of medical supplies including medication, gauze, and antiseptic. From my nightstand, he grabbed a glass of water and handed it to me.

"Tylenol," he offered. Gratefully, I swallowed the small pill.

"Have you set your nose?" He asked.

"I tried. Hard to with my arm, though."

"What about your side?"

"I put on the anti-septic I have, and fresh gauze. The doctor said it should fix anything internal."

He sighed. "This can't keep happening, Val. You have to learn to forgive yourself."

I looked away. "I don't want to talk about it."

He sighed again, but let it be. Only Skulduggery understood.

Suddenly, he sat up with alarm. "It's bleeding through the bandage and your shirt. How deep was the cut?" He asked.

I shrugged but regretted it instantly as my side lit up. "Not sure, couldn't have been more than a few inches."

"I'm going to have to rewrap the bandage, and maybe check out the wound itself. Can you lift your shirt for me?"

Slowly, I raised up the light pink cotton shirt over the now bloody bandages. This much blood would be hard to get out of the light colored shirt. Damn. How many shirts would I ruin in one day?

I let out a hoarse chuckle. As stupid as it sounded, it amused me.

"Hold still, dammit," Skulduggery muttered.

"Sorry," I mumbled.

He glanced up at me skeptically. All these years and I still couldn't figure out how he could have facial expressions, yet no face.

"What's so funny?" He asked. "Care to share the joke?"

I looked up at the ceiling and focused as he began to poke and prod the wound. I gritted my teeth through the pain.

"I was just thinking that this is the second shirt I've ruined today." Shaking my head I continued. "I've got a gash in my side that's bleeding like crazy and I'm worried about my t-shirt collection."

Skulduggery was silent and continued his work. I continued to stare at the ceiling, wincing in pain, ignoring the small tear running from my eye.

"Jesus Val," he repeated. "I think there might be something in here."

I froze.

"Seriously?"

"I think I see something metal, and it has rust on it. Rust, Valkyrie. Do you know how bad that is?"

I didn't respond. A cut could be healed, but if rust and metal were still stuck in the wound, well, that spelled trouble. Even with magic it would be hard.

He sighed. He knew there was no way I'd go to the hospital. He was lucky I'd let him work on me.

"Pass me the tweezers," he glowered. "I swear Cain. One of these days..."

—

An hour or so later, Skulduggery declared me patched up.

He had just helped me down to sit in the kitchen when my phone rang. He handed it to me while he went to get my bags from the car.

"Hello?"

"Val, are you okay? He told me what happened."

I stiffened. "China? He told you?"

"Yes. I'm a little miffed you wouldn't come to the sanctuary, but at least you stopped being stubborn long enough for him to help."

"What do you want China?"

She chuckled. I clenched my fist as she spoke. "Right to the point as always, eh? I called to see if you would come into the sanctuary, and tell us about your attackers. Skulduggery said this isn't the first time, and I-"

I interrupted her speech, "No."

"Val, dear. Don't you think protecting these, these thugs is a little, ah, counterproductive? I mean, you can't be the only one they've attacked. Wouldn't you hate to have them hurt someone else?"

"They won't."

"And why's that?" Her voice had turned cold. Apparently, this meant a lot to her. I didn't know she still cared.

"Because they told me. They were minding their own business before Darquesse came along. They only did it because I'd hurt them."

"Valkyrie, sweetheart," her voice turned sickly sweet. "You can't just trust the words of some criminals who beat people up on the streets. Please, at least see some sense and help us find them."

"No. They're not just 'some criminals', they're angry, restless people who lost friends and family. Darquesse killed them," I said flatly. "That's on me. They need someone to take it out on, and that someone is me. It's okay, I deserve it."

"Valkyrie Cain, listen to me. It's-"

"Goodbye China." I was already taking the phone away from my ear.

"Valkyrie it's-"

Click.

I shut my phone off. I would be ignoring all phone calls for at least the next twenty-four hours.

Skulduggery walked in just as I got up to grab food.

I glared at him.

"You told China I was hurt?" I hissed. Just what I needed; China constantly pestering me.

"I had to give her a reason why I was bailing on the case," he said guiltily.

I rolled my eyes as I limped over to the cupboard.

"I thought you didn't answer to the sanctuary anymore."

"Only when they give me a direct case, and you know her. If China doesn't get what she wants immediately, she'll keep pestering you. I've postponed this case until Thursday, that way you'll be able to come with me."

I sighed. My snack collection wasn't that great. I lacked anything of nutritional value. All that was in my pantry was a collection of old soup, canned fruit, and pop tarts that were probably stale. My fridge was most likely empty as well.

Setting for toast I hobbled to my toaster. I should at least have bread and butter, maybe jam if I was lucky. My face grimaced as I accidentally bumped my side with my arm.

"What?" I asked. I had noticed Skulduggery's stare.

"Would you like some help?"

I scowled.

He shook his head with a low chuckle.

 **Thanks for reading! I don't know if I've done this yet, but I wanted to thank everyone who has reviewed my chapters so far. You guys have no idea what it means to me! Anyways, if you have any suggestions/ideas for me, or requests, feel free to either comment them or pm me.**

 **Thanks again!**


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